Again, I hope you are right. And again, I just hope we stop this "it's not his natural position but let's see if he can do a job here" approach. Time will tell if he is a CM, from what I saw I'm sceptical, but happy to be proven wrong.
34
Season Average Rating
- Appearances
- 36
- Goals
- 1
- Assists
- 2
- Yellow cards
- 1
- Status
I don't see him as a CM myself either. Unless he's played in a similar position as say Firmino, I don't see the point in playing him further back
Also remember that VdB, Bruno and Mata are clever and intelligent players that can play very good together. I'll gladly play a Diamond of those 3 and a DM untill Rashford remember to play football again and we get a RW (and yes, no Pogba there).
Was dreadfull in the game with the Netherlands last night. Pretty much the same kind of game he played for is, but without the 2 passes in the final part of the game.
He was very anonymous again for the Netherlands. He is not very lucky to always be getting into the team when the big guns are rested amd the team looks very disjointed, but still you’d expect him to perform better than what he showed last night. I did not see stats yet, but I would be surprised if he got more than 15 touches on the ball. Very, very timid
I only watched the first half, from that first half alone, I wouldn't call it very anonymous because if you want definition of very anonymous then it was Wijanaldum. Wijnaldum offered nothing in build up and also in defense. All his passing was backward, sideways to full back and 1m short, defensively offered zero, he made 1 progressive pass in that first half and it went straight to Mexico centre back.
Donny made two progressive passes in the first half (linked with Babel and long pass to Berghuis), he made lot of good runs but neither the centre back & midfield can find him and the issue is that Dutch had no quality in their creativity, I think my only disappointed of his 1st half performance was that he didn't press and offered zero defensively (whether it was instruction or he was just being lazy in that game). But as I mentioned before, Dutch had no quality in their creativity, Krul can't play from the back, the full backs were shit, Wijnaldum offered zero, Koopmeiners can keep possession when under pressure but only pass short & both Berghuis & Babel lack quality as wide attackers.
This was known before we signed him. Donny isnt a player who will get on the ball and create things, he is more of a space creator.
He will not run towards the ball, instead he will make space for others, which is why he was signed, we didnt have enough players making movements off ball.
Which is why he plays with Mata and the likes, they have a footballing brain.
Strange signing as Solskjaer doesn't seem to know where to fit him in. A lot of money for a squad player.
Do we know for sure if he was option B to Grealish? I'm really surprised if that's true. They're such different players.
Ah a silent domination kind of footballer. Just like Rooney shortly before he left
I like the look of him so far but the quoted post does remind me of Lingard's glory days. Won't do anything with the ball or create but will make space, confuse opponents and be way too smart for us simple drooling idiots watching him to understand.
Was he an alternative to Grealish? Remember some on here were calling for Donny before it even happened, how he is basically same or better than the Aston Villa man for half the price. Donny might prove to be a very good player for us, but he is nothing like Grealish.
The way the caf has been lately if he plays well he's an Ole signing if not he's an Ed signing.So, was he really a Ole signing ?
depending on which camp your in. Could just as well be:
he plays well, it’s a club signing. Plays badly, then he’s OGS’ signing.
The thing I like about Van De Beek is that even if he doesnt settle in straight away, he is a better more intelligent version of the type of football Lingard plays.
He makes the runs in to space, quick passes and is energetic.
I dont find him to ever be a useless player because he is a player we can use tactically in the future.
He makes the runs in to space, quick passes and is energetic.
I dont find him to ever be a useless player because he is a player we can use tactically in the future.
I think Grealish was more of a Pogba replacement.
Before Covid-19, I think the club were pretty convinced Pogba was leaving.
Correct answer which in itself is a sad state of affairs.
Just scored the 1-1 for the Netherlands against Italy. Typical vd Beek goal, when you see it, you'll know
Their first goal in 4 games
Has to start against Newcastle.
Shit goal but it counts. Right place right time as usual. Showed quick reactions and finished well.
He knows where the goal is that’s for sure.
I’d really like to see him behind the 2 strikers with Bruno and pogba wider and a CDM behind them
I’d really like to see him behind the 2 strikers with Bruno and pogba wider and a CDM behind them
Was some quality goal keeping to deny Memphis in the lead up to. Maybe he can replace De Gea.
This is definitely where he’s at his best, isn’t it? He’s so alive in the final third.
All the shouts for him to replace Pogba in central midfield don’t sound right to me — he should be replacing Fernandes who has basically been slightly less worse than Pogba so far this season.
I only watched the first half but he didn’t play in Bruno’s position in that game, he actually played more as central midfield. Often I saw him drop so deep to get the ball from the back. It’s just his ability to make run from midfield to inside the box to score.
When you watch him playing at CM you see him running in to the box with his movement to the point that it can leave the centre of midfield empty for the opposition.
Whilst I'm not sure what Ole will do - I've seen him enough to know that he has to play in the final third. He wants to make the runs, be a sneaky player that out thinks his opponents and ends up at the right place at the right time.
It should be Bruno in midfield with Van De Beek as an AM or even SS. As great as Bruno has been he isnt exactly scoring free range goals like he did in Portugal and you could say the same for Pogba. The creativity should come from deep. Van de Beek isnt the most creative player but he is that annoying player for defenders that will help him & his team mates in the front line.
I think especially since Martial's red we should play Van de Beek as a false 9/CAM behind Rashford & Greenwood.
Rashford-Greenwood
VDB
Pogba - Bruno
Matic
Defence
VdB plays with the front line ( to create a front 3) but drops back in to midfield when needed. On the opposite side of the diamond, Matic drops in to the defensive line when we are attacking (to create a stable back 3) but presses back in to midfield when there is a chance to tackle and make a pass out to the rest of the team in front.VDB
Pogba - Bruno
Matic
Defence
Considering the fixture pile up this season I'm pretty sure VDB will get his share of games in, regardless of Bruno or Pogba's form.
The issue is not the formation, but dynanism of the team. Netherland and Ajax can afford to use his off ball movement ability to commit forward since they can pass the ball well across different position. With us, we have trouble beating the press cleanly, thus asking more players to come toward ball carrier, to receive a pass. And we use more fast break, than possession recycling, to pick team apart, which means we can get midfielder with ability to score into position.
Easy. Have two strikers and have 4 midfield players.
Hope he starts tonight, if you have to sacrifice someone it’s Pogba but I don’t think Ole will go there.
If he's not starting you really have to question what our transfer strategy is. Pogba hasn't been great at all lately.
Leaked team (hopefully wrong) has Mata replacing Martial in the lineup and not DVB.
Should start, but not sure he will. Ole seems set on picking the same players week in week out
agree - change the system as what we've been playing so far this season clearly isn't working.....if Ole doesn't change it up then he is putting his own head on the block....
Would like to see
Henderson
Williams Bailly Lindelof Telles
Fred
Bruno VDB
Mata Greenwood Rashford
Henderson
Williams Bailly Lindelof Telles
Fred
Bruno VDB
Mata Greenwood Rashford
Something isn’t right here. You don’t pay the best part of £40m for a 5th choice midfielder.
Even with Pogba and Matic dropped he can’t get in ahead of Fred or McTominay? I’m not having that.
Even with Pogba and Matic dropped he can’t get in ahead of Fred or McTominay? I’m not having that.
Bonkers.
It’s 4 games into the season, and we have a lot of midfielders. There’s nothing untoward here. He’s being integrated into the team.
I don’t understand what’s happening
- Status